Aerosol generation device

ABSTRACT

An aerosol generation device in which an aerosol generating substrate is heated to form an aerosol includes: an aerosol generation chamber configured to receive and heat a substrate to generate aerosol, the aerosol generation chamber including at least a heating element; an oblong housing; a cover which can be in a closed position covering the aerosol generation chamber and in an open position exposing the aerosol generation chamber; and a tray configured to receive and hold the substrate, the tray being connected to the cover.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generation device in whichan aerosol generating substrate is heated to form an aerosol. Thedisclosure is particularly applicable to a portable aerosol generationdevice, which may operate at low temperature. Such devices may heat,rather than burn, tobacco or other suitable aerosol substrate materialsby conduction, convection, and/or radiation, to generate an aerosol forinhalation.

BACKGROUND

The popularity and use of aerosol generation devices (also known ase-cigarettes and heat-not-burn products) has grown rapidly in the pastfew years. Various devices and systems are available that heat or warmaerosolisable substances as opposed to burning tobacco in conventionaltobacco products.

Devices of this type generate an aerosol or vapour by heating an aerosolsubstrate that typically comprises moist leaf tobacco or other suitablesolid aerosolisable material to a temperature typically in the range150° C. to 350° C. Heating such an aerosol substrate, but not combustingor burning it, releases an aerosol that comprises the components soughtby the user but not the toxic and carcinogenic byproducts of combustionand burning. Furthermore, the aerosol produced by heating the tobacco orother aerosolisable material does not typically comprise the burnt orbitter taste resulting from combustion and burning that can beunpleasant for the user and so the substrate does not therefore requirethe sugars and other additives that are typically added to suchmaterials to make the smoke and/or vapour more palatable for the user.In such devices, the aerosol substrate is heated by a heating element,for example in a heating chamber. The aerosol substrate is consumedthrough generation of the aerosol and must be regularly replaced. It istherefore desirable to provide a convenient way of replacing the aerosolsubstrate in the heating chamber.

Additionally, it is desirable to generate more aerosol from a givenquantity of aerosol substrate, and therefore it is desirable to providea device that can heat the aerosol substrate to generate aerosol moreefficiently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect, the following disclosure provides anaerosol generation device comprising: An aerosol generation chamberconfigured to receive and heat a substrate to generate aerosol, theaerosol generation chamber comprising at least a heating element; anoblong housing; a cover which can be in a closed position covering theaerosol generation chamber and in an open position exposing the aerosolgeneration chamber; and a tray configured to receive and hold thesubstrate, the tray being connected to the cover; wherein when the coveris in the open position, the tray can receive the substrate, and thereceived substrate is located at least partly outside of the aerosolgeneration chamber, and when the cover is in the closed position, areceived substrate is fully contained in the aerosol generation chamberand in contact with the heating element; and wherein the cover can bemoved from the open position to the closed position by rotation, wherebythe tray is translated in a longitudinal direction of the housing andtowards the heating element and in a direction substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing such that asubstrate held by the tray is put in contact with the heating element.

The tray provides an intuitive and robust way to replace the aerosolsubstrate consumable by removing a used substrate from the tray andputting an unused substrate on the tray. By closing the cover, thesubstrate is then moved into the aerosol generation chamber, providing asimple and intuitive way for a user to place the substrate in the rightposition. Additionally, by movement of the tray into the aerosolgeneration chamber, the substrate is put in contact with the heatingelement, thereby improving aerosol generation efficiency.

In a second aspect of the invention according to the first aspect of theinvention, the tray comprises means for fixing the substrate to thetray.

This ensures that the substrate is fixed and does not move with respectto the tray. Thus, the substrate is always in the correct position withrespect to the heating element and in contact with the same when thecover is in closed position, so aerosol generation efficiency isimproved.

In a third aspect of the invention according to the second aspect of theinvention, the means for fixing are one or more protrusions which canengage with respective recesses of the substrate.

This provides a durable, intuitive and straight-forward way to realizethe fixing as discussed above.

In a fourth aspect of the invention according to the third aspect of theinvention, the recesses can be formed by stamping the substrate with theone or more protrusions.

According to the fourth aspect, no recesses must be formed in thesubstrate during production, making the substrate more cost-efficient bysaving one production step. A flexible substrate can then be “stamped”by means of the protrusions on the tray to fulfil the same purpose as apreviously provided recess.

In a fifth aspect of the invention according to any one of the precedingaspects of the invention, the movement of the tray in the directionsubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housingis caused by a slanted wall of the aerosol generation chamber.

A slanted wall provides a straight-forward and durable way to guide thetray towards the desired position. The slanted wall therefore ensuresthat the substrate is in contact and/or press towards the heatingelement, thus improving aerosol generation efficiency.

In a sixth aspect of the invention according to any one of the precedingaspects of the invention, a cross-section of the tray has a generallyL-shaped configuration, the long leg of the L-shape being orientedsubstantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the housing, andthe short leg extending from the long leg towards the heating element.

A L-shaped tray ensures that a substrate placed on the tray does notslide downwards from the tray. Furthermore, the short leg eases handlingof the device, as a user can easily insert a substrate which is thenheld in place by the short leg of the L-shaped tray. Thus, it provides away of intuitive handling while improving aerosol generation efficiencyof the device.

In a seventh aspect of the invention according to any one of thepreceding aspects of the invention, the cover is connected to thehousing by means of a hinge which allows for the rotation of the cover.

The connection to the housing ensures that the cover is not lost whenthe device is not in use. The rotational hinge provides an intuitive wayof handling the device for a user.

In an eighth aspect of the invention according to any one of thepreceding aspects of the invention, the cover is biased towards theclosed position.

This ensures that the device is closed properly after a substrate hasbeen inserted. Furthermore, it provides haptic feedback to a user.

In a ninth aspect of the invention according to the eighth aspect of theinvention, the biasing is realized by means of a spring.

This provides a straight-forward, durable and cost-efficient way for thebiasing as discussed above.

In a tenth aspect of the invention according to any one of the precedingaspects of the invention, the tray is connected to the cover such thatthe rotation of the cover around the hinge results in the translationthe tray.

This provides an intuitive and robust way for placing the substrate inthe correct position with respect to the heating element.

In an eleventh aspect of the invention according to the tenth aspect ofthe invention, the connection between the tray and the cover is realizedby means of a second hinge, the second hinge being distanced from thehinge which allows for the rotation of the cover.

This provides an intuitive and robust way for placing the substrate inthe correct position with respect to the heating element.

In a twelfth aspect of the invention according to any one of the tenthto the twelfth aspect of the invention, the rotation of the cover istranslated into the translation of the tray by means of a lever.

This provides an intuitive and robust way for placing the substrate inthe correct position with respect to the heating element.

In a thirteenth aspect of the invention according to any one of thepreceding aspects of the invention, the tray moves towards the center ofthe housing along the longitudinal direction of the housing as the covermoves from the open position to the closed position, and in the oppositedirection as the cover moves from the closed position to the openposition.

This provides an intuitive and robust way for placing the substrate inthe correct position with respect to the heating element. Furthermore,it provides an easy way to replace a used substrate by an unusedsubstrate.

In a fourteenth aspects of the invention according to any one of thepreceding aspects of the invention, the substrate is moved away from thecenter of the housing along the longitudinal direction of the housing bymeans of the short leg when the cover moves from the closed position tothe open position.

This provides an easy way to replace a used substrate by an unusedsubstrate.

In a fifteenth aspect of the invention according to any one of thepreceding aspects of the invention, the substrate is moved away from thecenter of the housing along the longitudinal direction of the housing bymeans of the means for fixing the substrate to the tray.

This ensures that the substrate is placed in the correct position withrespect to the heating element, thus improving aerosol generationefficiency.

In a sixteenth aspect of the invention according to any one of thepreceding aspects of the invention, the substrate has the shape of aplate, pad, or disk.

A substrate having such a shape is substantially flat and can easily beput in contact with a substantially flat heating element, ensuringpermanent contact and improving aerosol generation efficiency. Also, theratio between the surface in contact with the heating element and thevolume of the substrate is relatively large, thereby further increasingaerosol generation efficiency.

In a seventeenth aspect of the invention according to the sixteenthaspect of the invention, the substrate has an upper surface and a lowersurface, and in the closed position of the cover the lower surface is incontact with the long leg of the tray, and the upper surface is incontact with the heating element.

By means of this aspect, a substrate may be fixed between the tray andthe heating element and pressed towards the heating element by movementof the long leg of the tray towards the heating element. Thus, aerosolgeneration efficiency is improved.

In an eighteenth aspect of the invention according to any one of thesixteenth and seventeenth aspect of the invention, at least one of theside surfaces of the substrate when received by the tray is in contactwith the short leg.

This provides an intuitive and robust way for a user to place asubstrate on the tray correctly. By holding the substrate in place bymeans of the short leg, the position of the substrate relative to theheating element is fixed, thus also improving aerosol generationefficiency of the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the aerosol generation device in side view, with the coverin open position.

FIG. 2 shows the aerosol generation device in side view, with the coverin closed position.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional side view of the aerosol generationdevice, with the cover in open position and a substrate being insertedin the device.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up view of a tray.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional side view of the aerosol generationdevice, with the cover in open position.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional side view of the aerosol generationdevice, with the cover in closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following, preferred embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In thedescription of the drawings, the same or similar reference numeralsdenote the same or similar parts. It should be noted that the drawingsare schematic, and the ratios of dimensions and the like may bedifferent from the actual ones.

The aerosol generation device 1 is configured to work with asubstantially cuboid substrate 11, preferably having a flat shape. In atypical example, the size of the substrate 11 is 18×12×1.2 mm.Generally, the length of the substrate in the preferred embodiments isbetween 40 and 10 mm, preferably between 30 and 12 mm, more preferablybetween 25 and 14 mm, and most preferably between 22 and 15 mm. Thewidth of the substrate in the preferred embodiments is between 30 and 6mm, preferably between 25 and 8 mm, more preferably between 20 and 9 mm,and most preferably between 16 and 9 mm. The height of the substrate inthe preferred embodiments is between 3 and 0.5 mm, preferably between 2and 0.6 mm, more preferably between 1.8 and 0.8 mm, and most preferablybetween 1.6 and 0.9 mm.

The aerosol substrate may for example comprise nicotine, tobacco and/oran aerosol former. Tobacco may take the form of various materials suchas shredded tobacco, granulated tobacco, tobacco leaf and/orreconstituted tobacco. Suitable aerosol formers include: a polyol suchas sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols like propylene glycol or triethyleneglycol; a non-polyol such as monohydric alcohols, acids such as lacticacid, glycerol derivatives, esters such as triacetin, triethylene glycoldiacetate, triethyl citrate, glycerin or vegetable glycerin. In someembodiments, the aerosol generating agent may be glycerol, propyleneglycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. The substrate mayalso comprise at least one of a gelling agent, a binding agent, astabilizing agent, and a humectant. The aerosol substrate may be poroussuch that air can flow through the substrate and collect aerosol as itdoes so. The substrate may for example be a foam, or packed strands orfibres. The substrate may be formed through an extrusion and/or rollingprocess into a stable shape. The aerosol generating substrate may beshaped to provide one air flow channel or multiple air flow channels.These can be aligned with the air flow channel of the aerosol generatingdevice in order to increase air flow through the heating chamber. Thesubstrate is exposed with a bare external surface. Alternatively, thesubstrate may comprise an air-permeable wrapper covering at least partof a surface of the aerosol generating substrate. The wrapper may, forexample, comprise paper and/or non-woven fabric.

The aerosol generation chamber 15 may simply be an interior volume ofthe housing 2, but the aerosol generation chamber 15 is preferablyenclosed by an insulating enclosure within the housing 11, so thatadditional components such as control circuitry and an electrical powersource (not shown) are insulated from heat provided within the aerosolgeneration chamber 15. The housing may generally be made from any rigidmaterial such as a thermoplastic or a metal (e.g. aluminium). Theinsulating enclosure may be made from a heat-resistant material such aspolyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), orpolyamide (PA) in order to prevent thermal deformation or melting. Theheat resistant material may be a super engineering plastic such aspolyimide (PI), polyphenylenesulfide (PPS) or polyether ether ketone(PEEK).

The substrate 11 is positioned in the aerosol generation chamber 15 byinserting a tray 5 carrying the substrate 11 into the aerosol generationchamber 15. The substrate can be placed onto the tray when a cover 7 isin an open position. When the tray 5 is inserted into the aerosolgeneration chamber 15, the tray 5 is guided into a position where thesubstrate 11 is held in the aerosol generation chamber 15, as depictedin FIG. 6 . However, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 , the tray 5 may also bein a second position, where the substrate 11 can be placed onto orremoved from the tray 5.

During or after a time at which the substrate 11 is heated to generatethe aerosol, air is driven towards the mouthpiece 3 to provide theaerosol to a user. In some embodiments, the air is driven by a userinhaling. In other embodiments, the aerosol generation device 1 maycomprise a pump for pumping air towards the mouthpiece 3 to provide theaerosol.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an aerosol generation device 1 is illustrated. Thedevice may comprise an oblong housing 2, and a mouthpiece 3 which can beused to suck the generated aerosol out of the device. In the openposition, as is illustrated in FIG. 1 , a tray 5 is exposed, becausecover 7 is rotated towards the open position. Tray 5 may comprise aprotrusion 6 or other means to fixate a substrate which may be insertedby a user. The cover 7 may be translated into the closed position byrotating it in rotational direction 8 around hinge 16.

FIG. 2 depicts the same embodiment of the aerosol generation device 1 asFIG. 1 . However, in FIG. 2 , the cover 7 is in closed position,covering aerosol generation chamber 15. From the closed position, thecover can be translated back to the open position by rotating it in theopposite direction of rotational direction 8.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of aerosolgeneration device 1, with the cover 7 in open position. Cover 7 isrotatably mounted to the housing 2 by means of a first hinge 16. In apreferred embodiment, the first hinge 16 may be located in a rotationelement which may be rigidly connected to cover 7. However, in otherembodiments, different solutions are possible, such as a hinge which isplaced directly on the cover, a lever, or the like.

In a preferred embodiment, hinge 16 may be loaded by a spring to bebiased towards the closed position. Thus, the device 1 has to beactively opened by a user, but will close by means of the spring, if thecover 7 is not held in the open position by the user.

In other embodiments, other means for biasing hinge 16 towards theclosed position may be provided, such as the use of gravitational force.In yet other embodiments, hinge 16 may not be biased towards the closedposition, such that a user has to actively bring cover 7 into the closedposition by rotating cover 7 around hinge 16 in rotational direction 8.

Via a second hinge 17 which is spaced from the first hinge 16, a firstend of a lever 13 is rotatably connected to the rotation element 19. Asecond end of lever 13 is rotatably connected to the backside of tray 5by means of a third hinge 18. Thus, during rotation of cover 7 inrotational direction 8, lever 13 is pushed towards the center of thedevice, thereby pushing the tray into the same direction.

The aerosol generation chamber 15 comprises one or more heating elements10 configured to heat and generate aerosol from a substrate 11. Theheating elements are preferably electric heating elements, such asresistive heating elements, but any type of heating element suitable forsupplying heat to the aerosol generation chamber 15 may be used. Theheating element 10 preferably has a substantially flat configuration butmay have different shapes in some embodiments.

The heating element 10 may be powered by an electrical power source suchas a removable battery, a rechargeable battery or the like. Theelectrical circuitry needed for powering the heating element is known tothe skilled person and is therefore not discussed here.

As illustrated in FIG. 4 , in some embodiments the tray 5 has L-shapedconfiguration with a long leg 21 and a short leg 22. The short leg 22 isconfigured to be placed underneath a substrate 11 to prevent thesubstrate from sliding downwards due to gravitational force. The longleg is configured to be put in contact with a flat surface of substrate11 to control the substrate's position relative to the heating element10. In some embodiments, the long leg 21 may comprise a protrusion 6configured to lock onto a respective recess 23 in a substrate 11. Insome embodiments, a flexible substrate may be used, such that whenpressure is applied to the substrate 11 by means of the long leg 21 ofthe L-shaped tray 5, a recess 23 is formed in the substrate 11 bystamping. This fixing ensures that the substrate 11 is held in thecorrect position with respect to the heating element 10, and alsoensures that during movement from the closed position to the openposition, the substrate is lifted back up with the tray. This isespecially important for possible embodiments which do not comprise anL-shaped tray 5.

As cover 7 is rotated in rotational direction 8, the rotation ofrotational element 19 is translated in a translational movement of tray5 towards the center of the device 1 by means of the spaced hinges 16and 17. As tray 5 translated towards the center of device 1, itapproaches slanted wall 12. Said slanted wall 12 causes the tray 5moving in a longitudinal direction of the housing 2 to also move in adirection substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction ofthe housing 2 and towards heating element 10. Once the cover is inclosed position, the tray is brought in a position very close to heatingelement 10, such that substrate 11 is brought in contact with and may bepressed towards said heating element 10.

FIG. 5 illustrates the aerosol generation device 1 in a state ready togenerate aerosol, where the cover 7 is in the closed position, and thesubstrate 11 is inside the aerosol generation chamber 15. The substrateherein is heated by heating element 10 and an aerosol can be generated.The aerosol may then be provided to a user through mouthpiece 3.

FIG. 6 depicts the aerosol generation device 1 with the cover 7 in theopen position. After consuming of the aerosol by the user, said user maybring cover 7 back into the open position by rotation in oppositerotational direction 28. Rotational element 19 again translates therotation into a translation and causes the tray to be lifted from theaerosol generation chamber. By means of the short leg 22 of the L-shapedtray 5 and/or the protrusion 6 of the tray and the recess 23 in thesubstrate 11, the substrate 11 is lifted out of the aerosol generationchamber 15 together with the tray. From there, substrate 11 may beremoved by the hand of a user and may be replaced by an unusedsubstrate.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   -   1 Aerosol generation device    -   2 Housing    -   3 Mouthpiece    -   5 Tray    -   6 Protrusion    -   7 Cover    -   8 Rotational direction    -   10 Heating element    -   11 Substrate    -   12 Slanted wall    -   13 Lever    -   15 Aerosol generation chamber    -   16 First hinge    -   17 Second hinge    -   18 Third hinge    -   19 Rotation element    -   21 Long leg    -   22 Short leg    -   23 Recess    -   28 Opposite rotational direction

1. An aerosol generation device comprising: an aerosol generationchamber configured to receive and heat a substrate to generate aerosol,the aerosol generation chamber comprising at least a heating element; anoblong housing; a cover which can be in a closed position covering theaerosol generation chamber and in an open position exposing the aerosolgeneration chamber; and a tray configured to receive and hold thesubstrate, the tray being connected to the cover; wherein when the coveris in the open position, the tray is configured to receive thesubstrate, and the received substrate is located at least partly outsideof the aerosol generation chamber, and when the cover is in the closedposition, a received substrate is fully contained in the aerosolgeneration chamber and in contact with the heating element; and whereinthe cover is configured to be moved from the open position to the closedposition by rotation, whereby the tray is translated in a longitudinaldirection of the housing and towards the heating element and in adirection substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction ofthe housing such that a substrate held by the tray is put in contactwith the heating element.
 2. The aerosol generation device according toclaim 1, wherein the tray comprises means for fixing the substrate tothe tray.
 3. The aerosol generation device according to claim 2, whereinthe means for fixing are one or more protrusions which are configured toengage with respective recesses of the substrate.
 4. The aerosolgeneration device according to claim 3, further comprising an aerosolgenerating substrate having recesses, wherein the recesses of thesubstrate are configured to be formed by stamping the substrate with theone or more protrusions.
 5. The aerosol generation device according toclaim 1, wherein movement of the tray in the direction substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing is caused bya slanted wall of the aerosol generation chamber.
 6. The aerosolgeneration device according to claim 1, wherein a cross-section of thetray has a generally L-shaped configuration, a long leg of the L-shapedconfiguration being oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinaldirection of the housing, and a short leg of the L-shaped configurationextending from the long leg towards the heating element.
 7. The aerosolgeneration device according to claim 1, wherein the cover is connectedto the housing by a hinge which allows for the rotation of the cover. 8.The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein the cover isbiased towards the closed position by a spring.
 9. The aerosolgeneration device according to claim 7, wherein the tray is connected tothe cover such that the rotation of the cover around the hinge resultsin translation the tray.
 10. The aerosol generation device according toclaim 9, wherein a connection between the tray and the cover is realizedby a second hinge, the second hinge being distanced from the hinge whichallows for the rotation of the cover.
 11. The aerosol generation deviceaccording to claim 8, wherein the rotation of the cover is translatedinto translation of the tray by a lever.
 12. The aerosol generationdevice according to claim 1, wherein the tray is configured to movestowards a center of the housing along the longitudinal direction of thehousing moves from the open position to the closed position, and in anopposite direction as the cover moves from the closed position to theopen position.
 13. The aerosol generation device according to claim 6,wherein the substrate is moved away from a center of the housing alongthe longitudinal direction of the housing by the short leg when thecover moves from the closed position to the open position.
 14. Theaerosol generation device according to claim 2, wherein the substrate ismoved away from a center of the housing along the longitudinal directionof the housing by the means for fixing the substrate to the tray. 15.The aerosol generation device according to claim 14, further comprisingan aerosol generating substrate having recesses, wherein a cross-sectionof the tray has a generally L-shaped configuration, a long leg of theL-shaped configuration being oriented substantially parallel to thelongitudinal direction of the housing, and a short leg of the L-shapedconfiguration extending from the long leg towards the heating element,and wherein the substrate has an upper surface and a lower surface, andin the closed position of the cover the lower surface is in contact withthe long leg of the tray, and the upper surface is in contact with theheating element.